Chapter 94: The Calm Before the Storm

Confirming that I saw things accurately, I flashed another look around and locked eyes with Delta, assuring myself that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. Delta had, in fact, left her tent and apparently joined the rest of us throughout this chaotic series of events.

“What are you looking at?” she hissed disapprovingly. “I can’t sleep with all this racket!”

Shaking my head, I ignore her and focus on a disheveled Cliff. Carefully laying Code on the ground before me, I keep my eyes trained on Cliff, continuing to watch him like a hawk as the sore muscles lining down my arms and back rejoice in having nothing to do again.

Standing to my left with a messy pile of arrows at his feet, Hunter asks, “Are you sure you removed all the arrows?”

“Yes, I’m positive. He still has one in his hand, but I got rid of the rest.”

“I wish we could’ve also confiscated his bow, but nice work. All we have to do now is get the keys. Do we move in now while the bastard is down… or wait and attempt to negotiate?”

“About that…” mumbles Ember.

Glancing in her direction, Ember spits out some blood and stamps it into the ground, wiping her mouth afterward. A bruise has already begun surfacing on her cheek, and she is holding a hand to her stomach, presumably at the spot where both Cliff and Code coincidentally struck.

Branching an arm out in front of her and opening her palm, Ember unveiled two keys. Instantly recognizing what Ember had accomplished, my mouth twisted into a delighted grin.

“I slipped his pocket during all the mayhem and-”

Hunter interrupts her with a wry smirk, “You goddamn goddess.”

Clearing my throat, I calmly add with an enthusiastic nod, “Well played.”

“Shut up…”

As I heard those words muttered from beneath me, the uplifting mood was starkly squashed. Glancing down, I noticed Code was sitting upright, gently rubbing his neck, “She almost f*cking killed me just now! Have you all forgotten about that shit already?”

Not knowing what to say to him, Ember attempted to reason, “Code… I was never–”

Cutting her off, Code squalled with his weakened voice, lifting his face away from his fingers and glaring in Ember’s direction, “Damn it…! Just… just shut up!”

Ember takes a second before scoffing. Curling her lips inwards, her expression was an awkward, straight face. It was an expression indicating that she wanted to speak her mind, but also one that recognized nothing could be said or done to change how Code’s emotions had developed into what they were now.

“Alright… okay.”

Resting my gaze back on a struggling Cliff, we remained silent from that point onward, the mood grim as I wondered what would happen now.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

Should I be the one to break the silence? Or should I wait for somebody else?

Fortunately, or... I guess… unfortunately, I didn’t have to learn the answer on my own terms. Not even a minute had passed before Delta, who must’ve slipped away and scurried off to the supply crates. At the same time, everyone was engrossed in Code and Ember’s brief exchange.

“Hey! When did you guys open this?! Why didn’t anybody tell me?” she shouts.

Looking in her direction, Delta was trying to pry open the heavy door all on her own by positioning her body between the door and the crate, using her shoulder as a driving force to try and separate the two. After a few more seconds of pushing and making more progress, she stood back up.

Not directing the following statement toward anybody in particular, Delta behests us with an annoyed gesture, “What are you all standing there for? Somebody get over here and lend me a hand already!”

Hearing Delta’s words, we all began looking around at each other, attempting to silently discern the unlucky soul who would end up volunteering to spend time with Delta. Nobody was budging, and after a brief period of awkward silence, Ember took a step back and clicked her tongue.

“You’re going to have to put up with me talking again for the time being, Code,” says Ember, looking over her shoulder at Cliff. “Hunter and Forest, tie him up. Knock him out if you have to, but we need to know what he’s refusing to tell us.”

“Will do,” obeyed Hunter, and I gave Ember a curt nod.

Then, Ember turned toward Code, and the two made eye contact.

“I had Sky grab you some food and water-”

“I know,” says Code, gazing back at the ground, not giving Ember the time of day.

As if she had already mentally prepared herself for such a cold reaction, Ember calmly added, “Just… take it easy. We have bigger fish to fry right now, but you aren’t off the hook either. I also have a few questions for you, so prepare yourself.”

That’s right. Code… where does he fit in? Why is he splattered with dried blood and his body beat to a pulp? What happened to Scar?? Is Scar alive? Did Zeris spare Code and kill Scar? Did Code kill Scar?

I could dump a truckload of questions on him right now, but it’s clear he’s not in the right mindset to be interrogated. Ember made the right call giving him a fair warning, but… shit. He should tell us sooner rather than later about as much of this information as he can recall and adequately explain. Woefully, with his current state... we’ll have to tread lightly about this topic with him in the future.

But Code is an intelligent guy. He should already recognize how crucial his knowledge and experiences may be in the overall scheme of things. The question that arises now is… are we able to trust him? Besides Cliff, Code is the only one to have made a return without a partner. If Zeris is manipulating Code like he is potentially doing with Cliff… is a concept such as “trust” even possible here?

Closing his eyes and laying his back against the dried terrain, Code takes a few seconds before responding, “Very well.”

Walking by Sky, Ember nods toward Faith and doesn’t even have to say anything before Sky gives her a heartfelt smile and a series of nods. Ember mouths a ‘thank you’ and then walks off toward Delta, her pace evidently portraying her detested attitude about doing so.

“Ugh! Ember, I don’t want you! Get somebody else!” exclaims Delta, her face scrunching in disgust.

“Too bad… you asked for help, and I’m the one you got. I also have the keys to the other two crates, so deal with it. Let’s get these damn crates open before you piss me off even more,” says Ember, her voice one note and tone galled. “Forest, Hunter, you two should get probably get started!”

Blocking out Delta's whining as I made eye contact with Hunter, we sent a series of eyebrow and facial movements back and forth until we both reluctantly worked each other up for the task that Ember had assigned us and set off together to attain the rest of the rope from the supplies.

As we ventured over, I got lost in my thoughts once more.

What does Cliff have to gain from making himself our enemy? He didn't seriously think he could take us all on at once, right? Also, the fact that Code hasn't addressed whether Scar is dead or alive yet, even though he wasn't asked, draws concern, too. Something is amiss. It’s like the dreaded calm before a terrorizing storm crashes and swallows everything in its path. It feels like... all of this mystery will soon boil to a head. Very soon, indeed.

And what happens then... only time will tell.